Convertible furniture



Aug. 14, 1951 E. w. M CARROLL CONVERTIBLE FURNITURE Filed June 2'7, 1945fl ,By 1704/ WW 23? Patented Aug. 14, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3Claims;

The inventionrelatesto furniture.

One object of the invention is to provide an article of furniture whichhas utility as a stool, a" writing desk and a storage compartment.

Another object of the invention is to provide an article of furniturewhich is useful for several purposes where little space is available.

Other objects of the invention'will appear from the" detaileddescription.

The invention consists in the several features hereinafter set forth andmore particularly definedby claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective of an article of furniture embodying theinvention and illustrating it" as used fora stool'or rest.

Fig; 2 is a perspective of a base, the compartment-unit being removed.

Fig. 3 is a transversesection.

Fig. 4'is'a perspective of thecompartment-unit inverted for use as awriting desk or work support.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section ofthe compartment-unit inverted for useofits bottom as a writing desk or work support.

Fig. 6 is: a detail illustrating one of the spring latches for lockingthe closures of the compartment-unit.

The invention comprises generally, a supporting structure or base and aninvertible box-unit which is adaptedto be detachably supported on thestructure and includes a seat-forming. top for adapting the article foruse as a stool when the unit is supported on the structure, and a bottomwhich, when the unit is inverted and held on the lap of a user, isadapted for use as a work rest. The box has a top whichis hinged, toprovide access to the articles stored in the compartment while the unitis supported on the structure and a bottom which is hinged, to provideaccess to the compartment while the unit is inverted and held on the lapof a user.

The supporting structure or base comprises legs II and a rectangularframe I0 rigidly secured to the upper ends of the legs and adapted tosupport the box-unit at the desired elevation for use as a seat orstool. The frame I0 is provided with a bottom 9. Frame I0 and bottom 9form a chamber With an open top, for the storage of articles under thebox-unit, where they will be accessible when the box-unit is removedfrom the structure.

The box-unit provides a compartment for the storage of articles andcomprises a rectangular frame I2 which fits on and conforms to the topof the frame I0 of the supporting structure, and is detachably supportedon the supporting struc- 2 tur'e" b'ydowel pins I3 which are adapted toex: tend intovertical sockets I4 in frame I2. The box-unithas a seatforming top which includes arigid member I5 which fits over the top offrame- I2, padding I6, and a covering IT. The margins of the covering I!are secured to the edges of top member I5 and secure the padding onmember IS. The top of the box-unit is hinged as at I8; to one of theends of frame I2,- for access to the contents of the compartment in' theunit while the latter is on frame I0 of the supporting structure. Thebox-unit has a bot-f tom 20 which fits in the frame I2 so' that it"w'illbe-s'ubstan'tially flush with the lower edge or said frame. Bottom 20 ishinged as at 2|, to one end of frame I2, for access to the compartmentin the box-unit, as illustrated in' dotted lines in Fig. 5, when theunit is inverted as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. I

Bottom 20" is held seated against a stop" 22 fixed to the inner face ofone of the ends of frame I2 by a; latch which includes aspringpressed'dete'nt 23 having beveled endswhichare engageable' with alug 24 on stop as illustrated in Fig. 6, for holding the bottom 20inits' closed position. A tab 25 is secured to bottom 20 by whichthelatter may be opened for access to the compartment in the box-unit whilethe unit is inverted. The seat-forming top of the box unit is locked inits closed position by'a similar latch- 23, for holding said top closedwhile the box-unit is inverted.

The rigid supporting structure is adapted to rest on the floor and tosupport the box -unitso that its seat-forming top will be supported atthe desired elevation to adapt the article for use as a'sto'ol. Thecompartment in the box-unit may be used for conveniently storingarticle's therein for ready accessthereto, by lifting said cover. Thebox-unit is invertible when detached from the rigid supportingstructure, so that its bottom 20 can be used as a writing desk or worksupport, while the inverted unit is held on the lap of a user. Thebottom 20 and lower edge of frame I2, are substantially flush, toprovide a flat surface for writing purposes. The hinge connectionbetween the bottom 20 and frame I2, provides for access to the articlesin the compartment while the box-unit is inverted, so that writingmaterials or other articles stored in the compartment, will beaccessible while the box-unit is removed from the supporting structure.The dowels I3 detachably hold the box-unit on the supporting structurewhen the article is used as a seat or stool. The latching device for theseat- 3 forming top of the box-unit, holds said top in its closedposition, so that the cover will be rewhich access may be had by liftingthe box-unit off the supporting structure.

The invention exemplifies an article of furniture which comprises arigid supporting struc-.

ture and an invertible box-unit which is detachably mounted on thestructure so that the top of the box-unit will be supported at thedesired elevation, for use of the article as a seat or stool, and whichhas a bottom which is adapted for convenient use on the lap of a user,as a Writing desk. The invention also exemplifies an article of thistype in which the top of the box-unit is hinged to provide for access tothe compartment in the invertible box-unit while the article is used asa seat and in which the bottom is hinged for access to the compartmentWhile the unit is inverted and used on the lap of a user. The entireassembly occupies little space and may be conveniently set in and movedunder a table or into the corner of a room.

The invention is not to be understood as limited to the detailsdescribed, since these may be modified within the scope of the appendedclaims without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. An article of furniture, comprising: a rigid supporting structureincluding legs and a frame rigidly connected to the upper ends of thelegs; an invertible box-unit detachably fitting on the top of the frame,defining a closed storage compartment, and including a seat-forming topand a bottom, said structure being adapted to support the top at anelevation for use of the article as a stool, said top being hinged tothe unit to provide access to the compartment while the unit issupported on the frame, the bottom of the unit having a substantiallyflat outer face adapted for use as a portable Work rest when the unit isinverted and held on the lap of a user; means for resiliently holdingthe top in its closed position and means for detachably holding the uniton the frame. 7

2. An article of furniture, comprising: a rigid supporting basestructure including legs and a frame rigidly connected to the upper endsof the legs; an invertible box-unit detachably fitting on the top of theframe, defining a closed storage compartment, and including a top and abottom, said structure being adapted to support the top for use as anelevated support, said top being hinged to the unit to provide access tothe compartment while the unit is supported on the frame, the bottom ofthe unit having a substantially fiat face adapted for use as a portablework rest and being hinged to the frame to provide access to thecompartment when the unit is inverted and held on the lap of a user,means for detachably holding the unit on the frame; and means forresiliently locking the hinged top and bottom in their closed positionsduring inversion of the unit.

3. An article of furniture, comprising: a supporting structure includinglegs, a frame rigidly connecting the upper ends of the legs, and abottom, the bottom and frame forming a storage chamber with an open top;an invertible box-unit detachably fitting on the top of the frame,forming a top for said chamber, defining a closed storage compartment,and including a top and a bottom, said structure being adapted tosupport the top at an elevation for use as a support, the frame and theunit having conforming and substantially flush sides, said top beinghinged to provide access to the compartment while the unit is supportedon the frame, the bottom of the unit being substantially fiat andadapted for use as a portable work rest or support when the unit isinverted and supported on the lap of a user; and dowel pins fordetachably holding the unit on the structure.

EDWARD W. MCCARROLL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

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